We wonâ€™t â€˜swim or sinkâ€™ with Amodu, NFF makes U-turn

By Onochie AnibezeNigeria Football President, Sani Lulu, in the heat of criticisms, once said that the federation would swim or sink with coach Shaibu Amodu.

The criticisms have not ceased since then.
A top member of the federation spoke from Angola to explain things to Nigerians.

â€œThat swim or sink talk was to show tremendous support to Amodu so that he will concentrate and do his job well. All reasonable football associations will always support their Coach. The FA in England supported (Terry) Vennables in times of trouble. They supported Eriksson till they parted ways. FAâ€™s are not always swayed by harsh criticisms. â€œIf they do, they will never achieve anything because of the emotions people express on football matters.

Thereâ€™s so much emotion and we can understand that. We have a coach in Shaibu Amodu and the best we can do is to support him 100 per cent. Thatâ€™s what we have been doing. It doesnâ€™t mean that the federation can never part ways with Amodu. He has a job that he is doing now and we must support him. If he fails in this Nations Cup and everybody is satisfied that he may not do a good job in the

World Cup, the federation cannot swim or sink with him. Right now, he is doing his best and if he continues and does well in this Nations Cup, then he deserves the chance to continue till the World Cup. No reasonable person will question us on that.Â But if he fails then we have the responsibility to do a job for Nigeria by engaging some assistance from anywhere. The federation wants the best for Nigeria and thatâ€™s what we are fighting forâ€

The member was reacting to the pressure mounted by the Presidential Task Force for them to hire a foreign coach for Nigeria for the World Cup.

Amoduâ€™s contract has a clause that says he would work under a Technical Adviser.
But the federation did not consider engaging any during the World Cup qualifying matches for two major reasons. Nigeria were winning their matches. The other was the high cost of hiring one. But with the N800 million the PTF raised in a President Umaru Yarâ€™Adua endorsed dinner, they could afford to higher a foreign coach from now till the World Cup.